Today, Rolex is by all measur, a te -hoe manufacturer. But they haven't always operated that way. And Gay Frèr is a huge part of that story...
Contents:
- HISTORIL PERSPECTIV GAY FRèR, MUCH MORE THAN A SIMPLE MANUFACTURER OF WATCH BRACELETS
- A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAY FRèR
- GAY FRèR – THE BRACELET BROTHERS
- THE SUCCS STORY OF THE MANUFACTURER GAY FRèR
- GAY FRèR — THE MOST IMPACTFUL PARTS SUPPLIER OF ALL?
HISTORIL PERSPECTIV GAY FRèR, MUCH MORE THAN A SIMPLE MANUFACTURER OF WATCH BRACELETS
Wh a history stretchg back to the 1830s, the Gay Frèr story neher begs nor ends wh watch bracelets. * gay freres *
Wh a history stretchg back to the 1830s, the Gay Frèr story neher begs nor ends wh watch bracelets. Today, we vtigate what is undoubtedly the most famo bracelet maker, Gay Frèr, only to disver that the story go far beyond watch bracelets.
The characteristic Gay Frèr engravgs on the clasp. This is the story of those watch, prented ctn talogu today "wh origal Gay Frèr bracelet.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF GAY FRèR
* gay freres *
We've already discsed Gay Frèr as an early bracelet supplier to Rolex, one of s first clients the watch dtry. For The Crown, Gay Frèr would liver large orrs of Bonklip bracelets om the early 1930s onwards.
They were also very simple to produce at sle for someone wh Gay Frèr’s expertise (more on that later). If the stals steel bracelets are gged by nature, what mak Gay Frèr an appealg partner is the creativy of s signers.
GAY FRèR – THE BRACELET BROTHERS
The avid watch enthiast is well aware that every timepiece is the rult of untls dividual parts assembled many steps by master mechanics. First-class watch are only created when all ponents f together perfectly. The same appli to the harmony of bracelet and se. This article troduc you to the world of bracelets by Gay Frèr. A pany that was a … * gay freres *
Intertgly, the trend towards stals steel s the 1930s allowed Gay Frèr to prosper as this metal is nsirably harr to craft than gold, and therefore requir a lot of specialized craftsmanship, fely one doma where Gay Frèr had special expertise. Arguably though, Gay Frèr rerved s ft work for Geneva's most illtr manufactur.
1518 stals steel – to the wrist of s new owner is a Gay Frèr bracelet.
THE SUCCS STORY OF THE MANUFACTURER GAY FRèR
Their bracelets are often ma by Gay Frèr as well.
But the brilliance of Gay Frèr was unrstandg the very fe nuanc that distguish a bracelet that pairs well wh a drs watch om one that pairs well wh a sports watch. 2447SN wh Gay-Frèr bracelet, cir 1969.
When the foc of certa manufacturers shifted toward creatg chronographs and other profsnal watch the 1960s and 1970s, Gay Frèr opted for new signs, and prented pani such as Her wh a beads-of-rice bracelet flanked wh Oyster-like fold lks.
GAY FRèR — THE MOST IMPACTFUL PARTS SUPPLIER OF ALL?
Gay Frèr offered a wi choice of bracelet styl at any given time. In fact, by 1976, Gay Frèr was much, much larger than Aumars Piguet and Patek Philippe. Still fay-owned, n by the brothers Jacqu-Hubert et Jean-Franis Gay, the bracelet maker was Geneva’s largt and most profsnalized factory, wh more than 500 specialists their employ.
The list of Gay Frèr' illtr clients uld go on; Jaeger-LeCoultre, Universal Genève, Tissot, IWC and Eterna all probably serve a mentn. Yet, one ccial thg about Gay Frèr is often overlooked – was found all the way back 1835. This date shows that Gay Frèr was not a wristwatch bracelet manufacturer om the start, given that wristwatch were non-existent the first part of the 19th century.
In fact, Gay Frèr never really fed self solely as a maker of bracelets, nor do today, now that belongs to Rolex (which acquired 1998). Another type of bracelet ma by Gay Frèr, wh s matchg necklace (Courty: Piguet Auctn hoe).